


Horrified

by 50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Beach House, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Minor Sokka/Suki, Non-Consensual Kissing, Not A Fix-It, One-sided Aang/Katara (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Reaction, Rejection, Relationship(s), Suki & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, Surprise Kissing, Talking, at least not in the traditional sense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:36:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25044748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret/pseuds/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret
Summary: I was talking to some fellow ATLA fans recently about how upsetting it was that Aang's sexual assault of Katara was handled the way that it was (yes, non-consensual kissing, especially after one has just rejected the assailant, is assault). Tumblr user @thequeenofshebasays suggested how this could have been handled differently, and gave me permission to base a fic off of their ideas. I myself have had similar experiences to Katara in this fic, so I can say, from personal experience, the way Aang behaved was really messed up, and could have, maybe should have, realistically, traumatized Katara.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (one sided), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 151





	1. Chapter 1

The theater let out and Aang was missing. That whole "dying" thing...that couldn't have been easy to relive. 

"He left to get me fire gummies like ten minutes ago, and I'm still waiting." said Sokka.

"I'm gonna check outside." 

The moon was shining over the water and Aang was staring at it across the railing. 

"Are you alright?" Katara approached him. Aang could be sensitive. 

"No. I'm not." Aang threw his hat to the ground. "I _hate_ this play." 

"I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting." Katara said gently, stepping forward to stand next to him. 

"Overreacting?" Aang asked incredulously "If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!" 

After that, Katara's memories were foggy. She remembered saying "because we're in the middle of a war, and we have other things to worry about." Trying to let him down easy. He was her friend. And he was clearly hurting. "This isn't the right time." She'd said. 

"Well, when is the right time?" Aang had pressed, not taking the hint. 

"Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little confused." 


	2. Chapter 2

Katara was sobbing in the bathroom. Just like that stupid fake-Katara. They had been right. She was weepy. Why was she so upset? This was just stupid teenager stuff. And there was a war going on. Just like she'd told Aang. She shouldn't have been bothered like this. Katara took a shakey breath and tried to pull herself together but it was no good. A woman washing her hands gave Katara a pitying look and walked away quickly. 

"Sugar Queen? You in here?" 

Katara wipes at her eyes. "Toph?" 

"You didn't miss much. The play sucked." 

"It's over?" How long had she been in here?

"Yeah. Finally." Toph said. "Look, I'm sorry I made fun of you. I didn't realize you were having such a bad day. Can we please leave? We all need rest." 

"Yeah. Yeah go ahead. I'll be back later." 

"Seriously." 

Katara sniffled. 

"Okay, tell me what happened." Toph said. "Even _you're_ not _this_ sensitive."

"Nothing even happened. Just stupid teenager stuff." 

"Descriptive." Toph said flatly. 

"Aang asked me out, and Toph, he was so sweet but I just don't like him and I feel so bad because I didn't want to hurt him and I don't even know why I don't like him"

Toph frowned. "And then what?"

"That's it. I just, left him there." 

"You're lying." 

"I am not!" 

"No. No you're definitely...well, you're not lying but you're not exactly telling the truth. What's going on?" 

"Nothing is going on!" Katara snapped. 

"Okay, well, get it together. We're leaving." Toph said. 

"I already told you, I'll catch up later!" 

Toph put her hands up in mock surrender. "Jeez whatever. Be that way." 


	3. Chapter 3

Katara needed sleep, but she was not getting any. Someone knocked on her door and Katara threw it open, ready to tell whoever it was to go to hell. 

"Katara? Is everything okay? You seemed really upset at the play." It was Suki

"I don't know. I just felt really bad about everything that happened with Aang." 

"Are you sure that's what this is about? I mean, I know we're all worried about tomorrow. Maybe you're not addressing the real problem." Suki suggested. 

"I am. It was just really bad. I don't know." Katara shook her head.

"So you don't like him back? What's the big deal?" Suki shrugged "He's the Avatar, he'll get over it." 

"He kissed me." Katara remembered as she spoke. "I closed my eyes and I told him I wasn't ready for anything between us and he kissed me." 

"That little jerk!" Suki said, voice raising. 

Zuko appeared in the doorway, looking exhausted. "Can you keep it down? I'm right next door." He seemed to take in their faces after a second. "Um...is everything okay?"

"No." said Suki. 

"Aang kissed me." Katara said. "It's no big deal." 

"Oh uh...congratulations?" 

"I didn't want him to kiss me. He just...isn't very good at listening sometimes." Katara said bitterly. 

"Wait. What?" 

"We don't have time to worry about this. Let's just all get some rest and-" 

Zuko was already storming away. "Aang! Get up and get out here!" 

"Huh?! What is it? Did they find us?!"


	4. Chapter 4

Zuko dragged Aang out of bed. "What is wrong with you!?" 

"Huh?" Aang asked, still half-asleep. 

Zuko shoved him over. "Wake up and deal with this!" 

"Is this a training exercise?"

"No. It's not a training exercise it's a question. What were you thinking?" 

"What? When?"

"You attacked Katara?!?"

"Huh? No I didn't!" Aang looked genuinely confused. 

"Really? During the intermission?" Zuko asked. 

"Huh? Oh! I didn't...I mean I just kissed her. It was stupid and embarrassing-" 

"You can't just do things like that!" Zuko sent a blast of fire up at the ceiling, because Aang still needed to be ready to fight Ozai. 

"What's the big deal? We kissed at the invasion! How is this-" Aang turned to where Katara was standing in the doorway with wide eyes. "I just...You said you didn't know so I thought I could help you make up your mind!"

"You little rodent!" Zuko punched Aang in the stomach. 

Aang floated backwards across the room, avoiding most of the impact. 

"This isn't getting us anywhere." Katara sighed "Let me handle this." 

Zuko nodded reluctantly and stepped back. Aang moved closer, eyes flickering between Katara and Zuko. 

Suki pretended not to listen from just beyond the doorway. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Aang...what you did was...hurtful." Katara explained, putting a tentative hand on his shoulder. 

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Katara. I just thought- I don't know." Aang put his head in his hands. 

"I know you didn't." Aang was not a violent kid, generally speaking, "And that's why we're still friends but, Aang, you can't do that again."

"I know."

"It isn't your job to make up my mind for me on anything, especially that." 

"I just said I know!" 

"I know that you know." Katara forced her voice steady, forced herself not to yell "but I need to say this, and after all this, I need to be sure you hear it. I can't take chances." 

"Okay. I'm listening." 

"I need you to know that we will always be friends, okay? As long as you don't do that again, we're friends, but... I meant what I said, I think. There's a part of me that...any possibility of something...more. It's gone. I just, can't see it happening. And I need you to be okay with that." 

"I'm trying." Aang said solomnly.

"If you can master four elements, you can get over a crush." Katara let herself smile a little bit. 

"Yeah. I can." Aang said with a decisive nod. "This must be what...before, when Guru Pathik said I needed to let go. This is what he meant." 

"Good. Lets all get some sleep. We'll need it." Katara stood back up and walked back to her room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I just need an idea for the afterwards/timestamp! Let me know what you'd like to see in the comments, or just send me more hate! I've been feeding off that and I always need a laugh. <3


	6. Afterwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to always_play_with_fire for suggesting a great idea for the afterwards!

It had been a long year but maybe the best Aang could remember. Sokka had gone back to the Water Tribe, but he visited Suki often and his letters to the Aang, Katara, and Zuko at the Fire Nation capital always mentioned her. 

Zuko and Katara had been dating for around five months now, and Aang found he was happy for them. They were a good couple.

Mai and Ty Lee had gone with Suki to become Kyoshi warriors.

Toph was travelling the world as The Blind Bandit. 

Aang had been trying to teach Azula some meditation techniques from her cell. So far it was not going well and she kept trying to attack him. 

It was strange, living as the Avatar in peacetime. Aang could no longer just wrap a headband around his head and go unnoticed, and more and more, he could admit he didn't want to do so at all. Fame was not for everyone, but Aang enjoyed it.

He had new friends too now, alongside the old. Like Irimi. Irimi had grown up in the fire nation, but she hadn't really bought into much of the national rhetoric. She had a lot of funny, if concerningly spiteful, comments that she would make about it. Even when she was only saying hi, really, she whispered. She was beautiful and despite her shyness, she always seemed to know, more or less, what to do in social situations. 

They were making flower crowns when he told her. "Hey...Irimi...I think I like you." 

"Like...as more than friends?" Irmi whispered. 

"Yeah."

"Oh." Irimi frowned. "That's really sweet Aang, but...I don't know, I don't think I feel the same." 

Aang sighed, "Bummer." 

Irimi finished a flower-necklace that was originally meant to be a crown but had gotten too big, and draped it over Aang's shoulders. "We're still friends right?" 

Aang laughed. "I sure hope so." 

* * *

Aang's first real girlfriend ended up being On Ji. The girl from the fire-nation school where he had gone undercover. They had run into one another in the market and she had been thrilled to see him again.

"Kuzon?!" On Ji had broken away from her mother's side.

"Uh," Aang scratched his head, "Sort of"

On Ji looked up at the arrow tattoo on his forehead. "Oh! That's right! Uhm...Hi! Should I call you...Avatar Aang now?" 

"Just Aang is fine."

"I never thought I'd see you again after the dance party!"

"Yeah. We should hang out again! You can finally meet Appa!"

"Appa?" 

"Yeah! My flying bison!" 

"His name is Appa?" On Ji asked. 

And a few weeks later, they had. On Ji's parents hadn't seemed to know what to make of Aang. Well, her mother didn't. Her father, a 'traditionalist', knew exactly how he felt about the "air bending invader and his disgraced prince friend". To his credit, he was not intimidated, and made no pretenses about it. Aang kept trying to win him over but so far it had not worked. Nevertheless, On Ji and Aang were happy.

It was Aang's first relationship, though not his last. It did not last forever, but it was good, and they stayed on positive terms as they grew into adults. On Ji actually ended up marrying Irimi, who she had met through Aang. Aang never officially married anyone but he and a few partners made a life together traveling on Appa, between all the places where their friends had scattered over the world. 


End file.
